Osborne: nurses, teachers, police and cleaners are living an “age of excess”

From LabourList

UPDATE on THE TORIES AND FOX HUNTING:

A senior Conservative source now has said, in the Evening Standard, “We are as amazed as anyone else to hear that Edward Garnier is pushing this around the country. David’s position is quite clear. Hunting will not be in the manifesto.”

However, this is what David Cameron has said in the past:

John Gaunt: “Duncan in Essex, just one of the people who has sent a text in says, ‘Please can you ask Dave if he becomes PM how quickly he would he overturn the hunting with dogs ban?'”

David Cameron: “We would let the House of Commons have a free vote very early on and then if there was a vote to get rid of the ban we’ve said there would be a government bill in government time. That was our position at the last election, it’s our position now. I mean I think the law’s a joke really, that’s the trouble.”

John Gaunt: “Which way would you vote, David?”

David Cameron: “I would vote for the freedom to hunt.”

John Gaunt: “You don’t think it’s cruel, barbaric?”

David Cameron: “No I don’t think it is. I think that the fox population has to be controlled and shooting, gassing and snaring can be worse.”

John Gaunt show, TalkSport, 30 January 2007

So, will a repeal of the fox hunting ban be in the Tory manifesto or not?

Following revelations that George Osborne and David Cameron would block pay increases for public service workers including teachers, nurses, police and cleaners, there are now calls from the Tory base and frontbenchers, including Shadow Justice Minister Edward Garner, to scrap the ban on fox hunting.

Mr Garnier said: “I think the mood in the country has changed and is now ready to repeal it.”

While David Cameron may distance himself from “difficult” fringe groups in his party, the fact remains that the the fluffy face of compassionate conservatism might not be quite so nice once the votes have been counted. Some of his friends are known hunters while Cameron himself has said “I put my cards on the table. I ride, I’ve been hunting, I shoot.” He has also called for a revote on hunting.

The news follows a difficult week for David Cameron, who – after inviting Daniel Hannan MEP to speak at the Tory conference in the Autumn – is now trying to distance himself from Hannan’s notion that the NHS is a “terrible mistake we’ve lived through for 60 years.”

Mr Hannan last night refused to back down on the NHS, saying: “I wonder whether public opinion hasn’t overtaken the Westminster consensus.”

Labour MP John Spellar said last night: “Cameron had done a good spray job on the Tory party but it’s still the same old nasty party that voters overwhelmingly rejected at the last three elections. He has managed to pull the wool over some voters’ eyes but now it’s starting to unravel.”

John Prescott, in a Vlog yesterday, said that the Conservatives’ mask is “slipping”.

Liam Byrne added: “The shadow chancellor wants to cut pay for nurses, their latest poster boy wants to privatise the NHS and now they reveal one of their top priorities in a recession would be to abolish the hunting ban.”

What do LabourList readers think?

Does Daniel Hannan reflect a divided or divisive party?

How concerned are voters that a Conservative government would neglect key public services and the people who provide them?

Should there be a repeal of the ban on fox hunting?